Greetings in the Name of JESUS!
Heidi and I just returned from a wonderful soul-winning, miracle crusade in India. This was our first crusade since we started a church in Delaware. From the very onset of starting the church we have tried to make it clear that although we do not travel from church to church on Sundays in the USA, we would still continue to hold our international soul winning miracle crusades, and even increase it. It was such a joy to have our first one, in Huzurnagar-Nalgonda, INDIA. It would be hard to tell you all that happened in a single newsletter, so I will try to say as much as I can:
Village Ministry:
Heidi and I went from one rural village to another, preaching to the tribal Indians. They were predominantly from the Banjara tribe, the Gypsies. They listened attentively as Heidi and Joel shared the Gospel in simplicity and passion, and were given an opportunity to accept JESUS CHRIST as their LORD AND SAVIOR.
Water Wells:
Through a unique contact, one thing led to another, and before you knew, the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN)’s Operation Blessing agreed to drill FIVE WATER WELLS for us in the rural areas. We had them drilled next to little churches that we have a relationship with. We also drilled a water well in a village where there is not (yet) a single believer, never mind a church, but we hope that the drilling of this well would open their hearts up to the Gospel. Heidi and I dedicated those wells to the Lord, with CBN filming. In a future newsletter I would like to tell you more about the significance of this event. It is really incredible!
Pastors Conference:
Joel Hitchcock Ministries sponsored a Pastors and Leaders Conference, and 172 pastors and leaders registered for and attended the event! Pastor Heidi and I both spoke into their lives. The theme was “Christ in You the Hope of Glory”, and this is what I kept on emhasizing! It was a powerful, Spirit-filled time! Joel laid hands on all who desired prayer. We also blessed each attendee with a meal of rice, chicken, and Joel walked down the line fellowshipping with them. We also blessed every Pastor with a gift. It was a bag for their Bible, notes and necessities, with the words “PASTORS AND LEADERS CONFERENCE, DR. JOEL HITCHCOCK. CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY” printed on it. Women’s Conference: We also hosted a women’s conference. Although it was organized in advance, there were no women at the facility when we arrived. The reason was that they were still in the fields working. We left and came back a little more than an hour later, and found the facility packed out with about 100 women! They were so eager to hear the Word of the LORD, and they just loved Heidi.
Smaller Village Crusades:
In addition to the village ministry, we also held a couple of small but fair sized crusade meetings a couple of nights. In one of the meetings the lights went off in the middle of a story in which I happened to be talking about ghosts. This just added effect to it, and everyone heard how JESUS is greater than any ghosts etc, and that they should accept JESUS as their LORD AND SAVIOR! When the power went off, the cell phones went on. I preached from my iPad’s Bible, and one of the attendees brought my translator his/her phone which had the Bible on it in their language. I was amazed at how these people still live much like they must have lived over a 100 years ago, yet cell phones were everywhere, complete with Bible Apps.
The Main Gospel Healing Meetings Crusade:
Finally we held our main meetings: The Crusade in Huzurnagar. Thousands of hand bills (flyers) like the one I included with this letter, and thousands of wall posters and banners had already been printed and posted all over the city and rural areas. There was great expectancy in the air among all the volunteers. But the attendance on the first night was very disappointing. An unusual wind storm swept through the whole district. Thunder and lightning was everywhere, and blew the seating carpets on the crusade grounds all over the field. Our banners were flapping in the wind, and people huddled under the few trees on the field Many others who were on their way to the field turned back. But we eventually took to the stage and the sinking feeling in my emotions left as the anointing of the Spirit took over. I preached about the woman at the well, and I ministered healing to the sick. After the first miracle, the people began to press in hard for prayer. After a long, hard night we retired, hoping that the multitudes would come tomorrow. And they did! They came by lorries (trucks), trailers drawn by tractors, three-wheeler autos, etc. On this evening there was no weather issues, although it almost looked like it. Pastor Heidi preached a beautiful Word just before I did, on “The Christian Way”. Then I took it from there and preached with all my heart. I always emphasize salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The power of the Lord was present, and thousands of hands went up to receive JESUS CHRIST as LORD AND SAVIOR!
Then the miracles broke out:
First, a demonized person was delivered within about 60 seconds by the power of God. Then a completely deaf 12-year old could hear. One miracle after another. Again the people pressed in so hard that I had to stop to get some air. By this time my shirt was drenched in sweat and I felt dizzy. After a minute I continued to pray. God truly worked among the people, and OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST was uplifted. (Titus 2:13).
Our Next Crusade:
We are currently working on our next crusade, which we will announce soon. It is planned to be before the years’ end. Free Video: I have compiled a 12-minute video that I would like to send to you free and postage paid. It contains the highlights of the crusade that you read about in this letter, about 100 pictures, and about 4 minutes of live video footage of the miracles I wrote about in this letter. You will be blessed by it, but you have to ask for it by indicating so on the return sheet below. Thank you for your support: I want to thank you so much for your faithful and continued financial support. Please make sure to bless Joel Hitchcock Ministries with your best sacrificial gift. We want to reach at least 100,000 souls for Christ in actual physical attendance in the next 12 months, as we labor towards our goal of reaching a million and more souls per year.
Love and blessings to you, Pastors Joel & Heidi Hitchcock (Evangelists)
